This is going to sound contradictory to everything you've ever heard about artists, personalities, musicians, etc. but right now the most important way you can support PGN Music and the Paradox Gaming Network is exposure. I won't lie, money is amazing. Tips, bits, subscriptions, donations, any and all forms of financial income allow PGN Music to get albums made by Fiverr artists, it allows the Paradox Gaming Network to pay for web hosting, domain names, AI assistants that help Jahlon muddle through web design. Right now the income after expenses is enough for the organization to continue getting a few albums produced each year. Getting more music made isn't what we need, we need ears listening to that music and fingers pressing like, share, save. Let me take a minute to talk about exposure.
Exposure isn't hard. It doesn't take a big effort. Sometimes it only takes one person.
Late last year someone found Ocean Breeze Caffeine on Spotify and they shared it with a jazz playlist owner. That Jazz playlist owner enjoyed it and added just that single track to their jazz playlist. Not only did Ocean Breeze Caffeine shoot up in total plays, but nine of the ten tracks on album have grown to over 10,000 plays, (many of them have crossed the 30k threshold) and now that album sits with 282,347 total plays. What does that mean? It means that album has now paid for itself, and every month generates a positive revenue for PGN Music. All because one person shared one song with one person. Maybe you could be the next person who shares a Spotify (or Bandcamp, or iTunes, or Apple Music) with someone and it nets us 250k plays.
If I make a piece of content you enjoy, consider sharing it with someone that might find it entertaining, educational, engaging, enjoyable. If I make a piece of content you don't enjoy, consider telling me why you didn't like it. Maybe the audio was bad, please tell me. I apologize in advance for sounding like I'm gargling a mouth full of gravel. Maybe the visuals weren't good. Remember the days of power point videos? Maybe I hold a believe you don't agree with and you think I'm wrong. That's ok. I invite you to speak to me and we can have a discussion. Maybe you can convince me, maybe I can convince you, maybe we can't convince each other but we walk away from the conversation with mutual respect. Maybe you have feedback for me, please give it. I can't grow as a creator if I don't know.
As far as some other things, let me just address them quickly.
If you watch a YouTube video I put out on any of my channels, thank you. When a video drops, getting early views and watch time helps push a video into new markets. If I can impose on you I'd like to make three requests that will help me with exposure for the next year while I try to grow three brands.
- If you watch the video please like the video
- If you watch the video please leave a comment on the video, any comment "Great video", "Thanks J"
- If you watch the video please let it play for at least thirty seconds
The first two things are called engagements, and they really help the algorithm understand the quality of the video. The third thing makes it so that YouTube knows the video isn't terrible because people are clicking off right away.
There is a hidden fourth thing I'd like from anyone who watches my videos: Tear them up. What works, what doesn't work, what's terrible. After eight years of making YouTube videos I'm not really getting anywhere with them so I have changed up my production process. If that doesn't help then I will probably stop making YouTube videos and focus on writing and streaming. Speaking of streaming that takes us to the next topic.
I've grown really tired of my peers on streaming platforms who don't appreciate viewers for their nature as viewers. If you are there to talk to me while I stream for four hours a day then you are worth your weight in gold to me. Some streamers need tips, bits, and subscriptions to pay their rent. I don't, so when people come and hang out its amazing and that's the only real support I'm looking for. Except your Prime Sub. If you have Prime, use that Prime Sub on someone, doesn't have to be me, but make Amazon cough up that Prime Sub Money.
I said this once and I'll say it again. I'm terrible at self-promotion and I'm even worse at making clips of my channel. I even went so far as to get a clip making program, and it works some times. If you see something profound during my show, something funny, something stupid clip it.
As far as all the other social media platforms, I am terrible at these. If you understand them, if you are good at them, please let me know.
That's it. That's all the support I need, well and Extra Life for Kids. Support them.